Vehicular system having a warning system to alert motorists that a mobile phone is in use

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a warning system for use on board a motorized road vehicle. The warning system includes an activity detector that detects an RF signal emitted from a mobile phone when a person driving the motorized vehicle is communicating over the mobile phone. The warning system also has a display device in communication with the activity detector, the display device providing a visual indication to a motorist of another vehicle near the motorized vehicle in traffic, in a manner that allows the motorist of the other vehicle to ascertain when the person driving the motorized vehicle is using the mobile phone.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Priority is claimed from U.S. provisional patent application No.60/351,743, filed on Jan. 24, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]1). Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates generally to a vehicular system, and morespecifically to a vehicular system having a warning system on board,which is used to warn drivers that the motorist of another vehicle isactively engaged in the use of a mobile phone and thus not able to payfull attention to the duties of driving.

[0004] 2). Discussion of Related Art

[0005] Cellular phones and other mobile phones have become ubiquitous.Almost one billion people in many countries have come to depend uponmobile phones, and use them in all aspects of their daily lives,including while driving their cars.

[0006] Talking on a mobile phone while driving is, in many ways, similarto driving while intoxicated, because one's full attention is notdirected to the task of driving safely. Many accidents have beenattributed to this unsafe, but popular activity. In many of theseaccidents, it is persons in another vehicle that are the victims. When adriver is speaking on a mobile phone, it is difficult to concentrate onthe normal tasks of driving, such as maneuvering, avoiding obstacles,changing lanes, or even turning. Normal preventive actions that avoidcollisions are unlikely to be performed well, and can result inaccidents involving nearby cars.

[0007] Several features exist in modern vehicles which allow a vehicledriver to signal to others on the road a driver's intentions to performan action that might affect others' safety or traffic flow. Turn signalstell other drivers that one intends to turn shortly and in whatdirection. Brake lights tell a driver behind a vehicle of the vehicledriver's intention to stop.

[0008] Studies of the use of the high center-mounted stop lights haveshown that the extra warning given to other motorists of a motorist'sintention to stop has resulted in the prevention of accidents.

[0009] Many drivers already drive with extreme caution when a driver isspotted holding a mobile phone while driving. In some countries and inthe State of New York, it is required that drivers have a hands-freemobile phone installation; however, it would then be virtuallyimpossible to recognize from another vehicle who is on a phone and whois not.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] This invention relates to a warning system for use on board amotorized road vehicle. The warning system includes an activity detectorthat detects a signal emitted from a mobile phone when a person drivingthe motorized vehicle is communicating over the mobile phone. The signalmay, for example, be an RF signal or an electrical signal. The warningsystem also has a display device in communication with the activitydetector, the display device providing a visual indication to a motoristof another vehicle near the motorized vehicle in traffic, in a mannerthat allows the motorist of the other vehicle to ascertain when theperson driving the motorized vehicle is using the mobile phone.

[0011] It is possible to anticipate such unannounced and possiblydangerous maneuvers by the mobile-phone-engaged motorist if suchmotorist gave a signal or warning that he or she is engaged in a mobilephone conversation. However, because the mobile-phone-engaged motoristis already engaged in at least one distracting activity, themobile-phone-engaged motorist cannot, or should not, have the burdenhimself or herself of activating such a warning system. It wouldtherefore be a beneficial safety measure if an automatic warning weregiven to all other nearby motorists that a given driver is, bydefinition, engaged in a potentially distracting activity while driving.

[0012] To address this need, therefore, a system is proposed to presentto others on the road a signal that someone in the vehicle is using amobile phone and to do so automatically, regardless of whether themobile phone is handheld or hands-free. This system automaticallydetects when a local mobile phone is in used and then activates anexternal signal as a warning to others that the motorist in the vehicleis engaged in a mobile phone conversation and not capable of paying fullattention to the actions and responsibilities of a motorist.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The invention is further illustrated by way of example withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicular systemaccording to an embodiment of the invention, having a warning system towarn other vehicles in traffic that a person operating the vehicularsystem is communicating over a mobile phone;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating two vehicles, a first of thevehicles having a warning system on board which is used to warn amotorist of the second vehicle that the person driving the first vehicleis using a mobile phone; and

[0016]FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicular systemaccording to another embodiment of the invention, having a mobile phonethat transmits a special-purpose signal indicating that a personoperating the vehicular system is communicating over a mobile phone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017]FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a vehicular system10, according to an embodiment of the invention, including a motorizedvehicle 12 and a warning system 14.

[0018] The motorized vehicle 12 may be any road vehicle, such as a motorcar, a truck, or a motorcycle. As is commonly understood, the motorizedvehicle 12 has a wheeled chassis and an internal combustion engine whichdrives the wheeled chassis forward over a surface, or may be an electricor hybrid vehicle. The motorized vehicle 12 further has a seat in whichor on which a person can sit for purposes of driving the motorizedvehicle 12. The motorized vehicle 12 further has a steering mechanismand other controls, such an accelerator or a brake control, that are allunder the control of the person driving the motorized vehicle 12.

[0019] A DC power supply 16 and brake lights 18 of the motorized vehicle12 form part of the warning system 14. The warning system 14 furtherincludes an activity detector 20, a timing device 22, and a power switch24.

[0020] The purpose of the warning system 14 is to warn motorists ofother vehicles in traffic when the person driving the motorized vehicleis communicating over a mobile phone 26. No radio frequency (RF) signalis transmitted from the mobile phone 26 when the mobile phone 26 isswitched off. When the mobile phone 26 is switched on in standby mode,that is, monitoring a possible call to be received but not being usedfor voice transmission, the normal mode of operation of many mobilephones may cause an RF signal to be briefly transmitted to tell thenetwork that the phone is on and ready to receive or transmit.

[0021] When the phone user then places or receives a call, the mobilephone is then is transmit/receive mode and an RF signal 30 is thentransmitted by the mobile phone 26. The primary purpose of the RF signal30 is to transmit voice data signals to a remote location distant fromthe vehicular system 10, such as a cellular phone network. The RF signal30 is also detected by the activity detector 20. The activity detector20 thus detects when the mobile phone 26 is transmitting/receiving or onstandby/off. The activity detector 20 has a sensitivity that is set sothat only an RF signal that is transmitted by the mobile phone 26 isdetected, and RF signals transmitted from mobile phones or transmittingstations outside the motorized vehicle 12 are not detected.

[0022] The timing device 22 is activated by the activity detector 20when the activity detector 20 detects that the mobile phone 26 isswitched on and in transmit/receive mode. The timing device 22 isswitched off by the activity detector 20 when the mobile phone 26 is nolonger in transmit/receive mode. A microprocessor 27 may have a computerprogram 28 to assist the activity detector 20 in discriminating betweensignals. The activity detector 20 detects when the mobile phone 26 is intransmit/receive mode and controls other functions of the warningsystem. The activity detector 20 employs a microprocessor 27 and acomputer program 28. The activity detector 20 detects when the phone isbeing used to transmit/receive by discriminating against transient,standby-mode mobile phone RF signals from the longer-term RF signalswhen in transmit/receive mode. If a special-purpose signal is notpresent in the phone, the transmitted RF energy is detected with asignal strength sensitivity threshold that is set so that only an RFsignal that is transmitted by a nearby mobile phone 26 is detected, andRF signals more distant and transmitted from mobile phones inside othervehicles outside the motorized vehicle 12 are not detected. It sets thehighest threshold of the detectable RF signal. The activity detectorlogic directs the nature of the RF energy to respond to the differentmeans of RF transmission used in the various industry-standard mobilephone systems such as TDMA, CDMA, GSM, PCS, 3G, 2.5G, and others. Thelogic in the activity detector 20 allows the brake lights to turn on ina steady, non-blinking fashion when the brake pedal is depressed byallowing the depression of the brake pedal to override the warningsystem.

[0023] The power switch 24, in turn, is connected to the timing device22. The timing device 22 can, for example, switch the power switch 24 onat intervals of two seconds, the power switch 24 being switched on forone second in every period of two seconds. The timing device 22alternately switches the power switch 24 on and off, only when themobile phone 26 is in transmit/receive mode, and the power switch 24 isswitched off when the mobile phone 26 is no longer in transmit/receivemode.

[0024] The brake lights 18 are connected through the power switch 24 tothe power supply 16. Power is provided through the power switch 24 tothe brake lights 18 when the power switch 24 is switched on, and thebrake lights 18 are switched off when the power switch 24 is switchedoff. It can thus be seen that the brake lights 18 are alternatelyswitched on and off when the mobile phone 26 is in transmit/receivemode. When the mobile phone 26 is not in transmit/receive mode, thebrake lights 18 are switched off. When the mobile phone 26 is not intransmit/receive mode, the brake lights 18 can only be switched on whenthe person operating the motorized vehicle 12 operates a brake control,such as foot brake, to decelerate the motorized vehicle 12. The brakelights 18 will thus provide a steady light signal whenever a brakecontrol is operated by the person operating the motorized vehicle 12.

[0025] Instead of the brake light as the visual warning signal, it ispossible to employ the high center-mounted stop light and the parkinglights or a special warning light or lights. The mode might be a steadylight instead of blinking. An audible warning signal, in addition to orinstead of lights, can also be considered.

[0026]FIG. 2 illustrates a motorized vehicle 12 in the form of a motorcar, together with another motorized vehicle 50 in traffic. Themotorized vehicle 12 is driven by a person 52, while the motorizedvehicle 50 is driven by a motorist 54 and is behind the motorizedvehicle 12. The brake lights 18 of the motorized vehicle 12 provide analternating light signal 60 that shines from the brake lights 18 througha window of the motorized vehicle 50. The signal 60 provides a visualindication to the motorist 54 that the person 52 is using a mobilephone. The motorist 54 can discern from a blinking or flashing nature ofthe signal 60 that the person 52 is using a mobile phone, whereas aconstant signal would indicate that the person 52 is operating a footbrake to decelerate the motorized vehicle 12.

[0027] The two-second period or other appropriate duty cycle at whichthe brake lights 18 are switched on and off is sufficiently long to beperceptible by a person, yet sufficiently short so that a person candiscriminate between a normal, constant brake light used when operatingthe foot brake, and a signal that indicates that the mobile is in use.

[0028] The motorist 54, knowing that the person 52 may pose a danger onthe road, can now take preventive action to avoid a possible collisionbetween the vehicles 12 and 50. Such preventive action may, for example,be decelerating the vehicle 50. Other vehicles in the traffic to theleft, the right, or in front of the motorized vehicle 12 do not see thesignal 60, and continue to drive normally.

[0029] In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 3, a warning system 33utilizes a special-purpose signal 31 generated by the mobile phone 41for the principal purpose of signaling the warning system 33. Whereasthe primary purpose of the RF signal used is to transmit/receive signalsto a remote location, the special-purpose signal is intended primarilyto actuate the warning system 33. This special-purpose signal 31 can bean RF signal or a direct, wire-conducted current. A special-purposesignal would be used if such signal better assures confirmation of thetransmit/receive mode, for example in CDMA transmission, or if thespecial-purpose signal results in simpler deployment or lower cost ofthe warning system. In this embodiment utilizing a special-purposesignal, the warning system 33 would include the mobile phone 41 withinthe warning system 33. Other components, such as the microprocessor 39,computer program 40, power supply 34, etc., are the same as in FIG. 1.

[0030] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shownin the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that suchembodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the currentinvention, and that this invention is not restricted to the specificconstructions and arrangements shown and described since modificationsmay occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.

What is claimed:
 1. A warning system for use on board a motorizedvehicle, comprising: an activity detector that detects an RF signalemitted from a mobile phone when a person driving the motorized vehicleis communicating over the mobile phone; and a display device incommunication with the activity detector, the display device providing avisual indication to a motorist of another vehicle near the motorizedvehicle in traffic, in a manner that allows the motorist of the othervehicle to ascertain when the person driving the motorized vehicle isusing the mobile phone.
 2. A vehicular system, comprising: a motorizedvehicle; an activity detector that detects a signal from a mobile phonewhen a person driving the motorized vehicle is communicating over themobile phone; and a display device in communication with the activitydetector, the display device providing a visual indication to a motoristof another vehicle near the motorized vehicle in traffic, in a mannerthat allows the motorist of the other vehicle to ascertain when theperson driving the motorized vehicle is using the mobile phone.
 3. Thevehicular system of claim 2, wherein the signal that is detected by theactivity detector is an RF signal emitted from the mobile phone.
 4. Thevehicular system of claim 2, further comprising a power source and aswitch, the switch connecting the power source to the display devicewhen the activity detector detects that an RF signal is emitted from themobile phone.
 5. The vehicular system of claim 2, further comprising atiming device, the switch, in response to the timing device, alternatelyconnecting the power source to and disconnecting the power source fromthe display device.
 6. A method of providing a warning to a motorist ofa vehicle in traffic that a person driving a motorized vehicle in thetraffic is communicating over a mobile phone, comprising: detecting asignal from the mobile phone when the person driving the motorizedvehicle is communicating over the mobile phone; and in response to thedetection of the signal, providing a visual indication to the motoristof the other vehicle in the traffic that the person driving themotorized vehicle is using the mobile phone.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the motorist of the other vehicle can view the display from therear of the motorized vehicle.